Electronic devices commonly have some type of memory system, such as a bulk storage device, available to them. A common example is a hard disk drive (HDD). HDDs are capable of large amounts of storage at relatively low cost, with current consumer HDDs available with over one terabyte of capacity. HDDs generally store data on rotating magnetic media or platters. In practice, the resulting data signal is an analog signal whose peaks and valleys are a consequence of the magnetic flux reversals of the data pattern.
HDDs have certain drawbacks due to their mechanical nature. HDDs are susceptible to damage or excessive read write errors due to shock, vibration or strong magnetic fields. In addition, they are relatively large users of power in portable electronic devices. Another example of a bulk storage device is a solid state drive (SSD). Instead of storing data on rotating media, SSDs utilize semiconductor memory devices to store their data, often including an interface and form factor that makes them appear to their host system as if they are a typical HDD. The memory devices of SSDs may comprise non-volatile flash memory devices.